Saturday, October 29, 2011

British royal discrimination

He has written to the prime ministers of Commonwealth countries outlining how he wants to change laws dating back centuries, but which are now discriminatory.

In the letter, Mr Cameron says it is “an anomaly” and goes against “gender equality” that women have to take their place behind younger royal males in the line of succession.

He writes: “In the UK, we have found it increasingly difficult to continue to justify two particular aspects of the present rules on the succession to the Crown.

“The first is the rule which says that an elder daughter should take a place in the line of succession behind a younger son. We espouse gender equality in all other aspects of life, and it is an anomaly that in the rules relating to the highest public office we continue to enshrine male superiority.”

That is what is difficult to justify? The whole rest of the monarchy is difficult to justify.

The UK (and Canada, Australia, etc) have had a queen since 1952, Elizabeth II, not a king. Her husband is considered just a prince.

On the other hand, the king's wife is considered a queen. There is no move to end this discrimination.

I am not sure about this "gender equality" argument. With this new rule, a British girl has less chance of becoming a queen. If Prince William's first-born is a girl, then no other girl of that generation will have a chance at the throne.